The illustrations alone on this one are astounding.
I loved this little poem, and the introduction made it all the more meaningful. This is a story I’d love to read to my kids one day, probably many times.

This is a very short book which is beautifully illustrated by artwork and drawings that bring the Inuit story of creation into being.
Where every tribe /people have an oral tradition that passed on stories most have a creation account of how human beings were formed and lived on a world filled with animals and the interdependence of between both and the spirit world.
The words are but a brief poignant account of the relationships between the wonderful world of nature and the Inuit people.
This would be a wonderful children's book. Certainly, the pictures are a magical element as they depict creatures: Seal ❂ Fish ❂ Caribou ❂ Dog ❂ Fox ❂ Tern ❂ Dall Sheep ❂ Musk Ox ❂ Narwhal.
The words also have a supernatural element for these folk but these ideas transcend all the Inuit hunting and survival in an otherwise bleak world.
Anyone will adore this book and be more at ease with a world where simple ideas enable one to live in peace and safety in a life sustaining environment and perceived world open to you. To be grateful for days of plenty but also wise guardians and stewards of other limited resources.

This book is ephemeral but powerful; succinctly written. I've been dishing out so many 5 star picture book reviews, but for such good reason. These Inuit tales are beyond learning - beyond ABC and 123 - they are life told with pictures, told with words - told with the heart from a deeply beautiful culture and people.

"Children....more than anyone are responsive to the magical power of words and images"

These illustrious but mystical illustrations are truly something to marvel and gawk at. I can't tell you the story - it's something you need to discover for yourself. All I will mention is that this is a tale of when animals and humans were one - they spoke the same language, felt the same joys and pains. When words were magical and could breathe life into the world.


I have pondered Fish-Boy and Magic Words more than any 700 page fantasy tome. I recommend this masterpiece to all. The art is entrancing and intermingles wonderfully. I implore you, read this beautiful, beautiful book. Again and again and again.



I received this picture book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Super simple story about people being animals and animals being people in historical Inuit culture. The illustrations are amazing! They are so bright and colorful. Tribal, but vibrant. I could hang any of these illustrations on my wall and stare at them for hours. My favorite is all the animals in the boat.

This feels like the start of a really great story. It feels authentic and exciting, the illustrations are beautiful and add to a layer to the story. However, it feels incomplete. I wish there was more.

I would totally use this book in my classroom. Gorgeous illustrations. Good book to start a description of how people are different. We learn about different countries, so this would be a great kick off book.

Absolutely phenomenal illustration, but I had issues with the capitalization. It was distracting.

A cute poem with gorgeous illustrations! I was short though and I want more. I would absolutely love more books about Inuit traditions and mythology.

According to the author’s note, the basis of the poem in this book is the field notes of Danish explore Knud Rasmussen from the 1920s, which Field has translated into English to produce Magic Words. This is a very short book based on Inuit tradition, and a long ago time when according to belief of that indigenous people, humans could turn into animals and vice versa, and both forms could speak. But in a larger sense, this is a book about the power of words.

For a book about the power of words, this is very much a book of few words. But there is power in that economy, which contrasts very nicely with the vibrant colours of Mike Blanc’s illustrations.

“Magic Words” is written in the past tense and essentially a children’s book, but given today’s political climate and loaded words and phrases like liberal, fascist, feminist, cuck, terrorist, snowflake, loser and “shithole countries” (the latter used by the president of the US) being flung about, and hashtags like #metoo helping to build activism, it somehow seems timely. Language is powerful, no matter if considered in the context of indigenous traditional belief or current world politics.

It is also interesting to consider the route that the words of Magic Words have taken: from the oral tradition of a largely preliterate society, to the notes of a Danish man, to being published in English. Words are indeed mysterious and powerful magic.

I read a digital copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a very straight forward children's book from Inuit legend about the power of words. The artwork is absolutely beautiful and it's a wonderful story.

It is a beautiful illustrated story based on an Inuit oral tradition.

The images along with the short sentences on the page just wow.

Love the illustration in this picture book! Colour and illustration probably appeal more to adults than children though.

Good things come in small packages. Beautifully extravagent pictures enhance this interesting oral tradition bringing the world to life.

This is a simple, straight forward story directly from Inuit legend about the power of words. I was interested in the book because I have family through marriage who are Haida natives of Alaska (not Inuit, a different group of people with a different language entirely). The illustrations are captivating and worthy of spending time with this book just taking in all of the artwork. Such a beautiful book and a nice way to introduce a new culture to children.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley, for the complimentary copy.

Okay, backwards y aside, this is a really beautiful book: not just in pictures but in words. I do love to read traditional stories from other cultures but they are not the easiest books to get hold of and don't seem to get the publicity that bigger name authors do for more 'generic' stories.

This isn't a story in the sense of having a beginning, middle, and end. In fact, you are very likely to get to the final page and wonder: Is that it? Really? But..... Here in, for me at least, lies the true potential of this book. It makes you stop and think. Your mind is busy making connections with knowledge and text...but you end up going back and reading it again, and again.

This book has two main potential classroom uses: literacy and art.

Literacy this is about how traditional stories differ in structure to what they would be more familiar with. This is an oral tradition from the Inuit people however I can already see how I could use it in conjunction with traditional Aboriginal stories from here in Australia. There are common threads - just differing representations.

From an art perspective this book is like a candy store. You could have students illustration a sentence from the book. Study Inuit culture and artwork and convey learning in a report...so many ideas in my head

I read this book long ago and I did not realize that I had not submitted my review for this book. My apologies for the confusion - I appreciate you understanding.

This was a beautiful story and the art was equality matching telling the story before you even got to the words.
This is great for it's purpose and is a great introduction into the Inuit stories.

The story was delightful and the illustrations were beautiful. I think a lot of my nieces and nephews would enjoy this book!

A gorgeously illustrated book for a short, but interesting translation of an old Inuit story - specifically on creation. It sparks the imagination and educates as well. Very much worth picking up to read!

An arc was provided generously in exchange of an honest review via Netgalley.*
This children's book is magically philosophical. It's not a story, it is more of a setting. Beautiful artwork. There are a lot of animals, colors and nature in this book. So it is easy to ask your kid who is this animal and to show you something. You can describe what the humans are wearing, and what the animals are doing, and it wouldn't feel like studying. It would feel like a travel into magic, where everything is familiar and strange.